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AND vs. BSN Nursing
As a dynamic field, nursing requires advanced knowledge and skills that define the professionalism of the practice. To achieve this knowledge and professionalism, the nursing practice has two levels of qualifications; Associate’s Degree Nursing, the ADN and Bachelor of Science in Nursing, the BSN (AACN, 2013). The BSN is the nursing qualification that has a degree of four years of study. On the other hand, the ADN qualification has two years of study that focuses on the tasks and skills. Despite the difference, nurses are required to have the capability of making decisions based on their education as well as their exposure to the experience of practice.
The first main difference between the two levels of nursing is their educational preparation. The BSN requires educational study that allows for an extensive understanding of the economic, political, and social issues that affect health care. The educational levels of the BSN are advanced and provide more studies to the nursing students. While the two level study nursing with all its contents in entirely, the BSNs posses advanced educational knowledge than the ADNs (AACN, 2013). This makes the BSN courses to be longer than the ADN courses. Whether in degree or diploma programs, the BSN holders have more qualification in academic terms.
Another difference between these two levels of nursing is the skills that each is supposed to posses for proper Practice. The ADN holders have general education and skills to help them serve the general role of nursing (AACN, 2013). However, BSN holders have proper communication skills and human skills to handle patients. They are required to have excellent critical skills in thinking as well as logical thinking, which will enable them to make critical decisions in their practice (AACN, 2013). In addition, the BSN nurses have excellent skills in patho-physiology, health care quality control and general community health. This makes the BSN holders good in taking care of the patients due to their application of these skills in patient care.
The role played by the holders of each of the two levels of nursing is another field of difference. Because of their advanced skills and educational competence, the BSNs hold advanced roles in the nursing practice (AACN, 2013). The BSN carries the advanced tasks of quality patient care that is intended to make the patient feel satisfied and able. They hold specific roles of taking care of patients with specific issues and require specialized attention. On the other hand, the AND have nursing skills for general care of patients. They hold the general roles of providing general nursing care to patients.
The ADN take nursing tasks without considering the extent and significance of resources applied to the tasks. This is because the nurses at this level have limited ability to incorporate research and advanced knowledge into their practice of patient care (AACN, 2013). Therefore, they are obliged to seek assistance to the BSNs or higher level health workers. This means that the ADN holders have low working independence that is limited to their level of competence and skills (AACN, 2013). This means that they have to seek help or accompaniment when carrying out nursing activities. For instance, during post-operative surgery, the ADN holder may not be able to apply patient’s history when transfusing blood. This calls for assistance from a BSN who can apply advanced nursing skills to apply the past details of the patient.
The differences between the competencies of these two levels in a typical patience, care case are based on the level of their skills and knowledge. A BSN holder is able to understand the patient in all the circumstances and facts around the case (AACN, 2013). This means that the BSN will make decisions that are critical of the situations of the patient and the knowledge applicable. Therefore, a BSN is competent in both the community setting and in a clinical setting. This diversity gives the BSN an upper hand in handling certain cases of patients despite both having licensure to practice nursing. To explore the differences in relation to patient cases, the following case will illustrate their competencies.
Patient Case
Max, is a 21 year old patient who brought by his mother, Jane to the hospital, complaining of throat pains when swallowing food. He was booked for a 24 hour after Tonsillectomy observation. The ADN nurse who observed him and saw nothing wrong, as it seemed then. Therefore, the ADN gave him painkillers and left the room. As it was the rules of the hospital, she reported to the nurse in the evening shift, a BSN. On reading the report, the BSN quickly checked the patient and fond a critical condition. The BSN, knew that throat pains indicate a possibility of bleeding after Tonsillectomy. Due to the critical nature of the situation, the BSN initiated a rapid response that saved the patient’s life.
As a rewarding career, nursing for ADN and BSN teachers learn the same nursing education, but BSN has advanced knowledge and skills. The illustration shows the differences in competence between the ADN and the BSN. The BSN was able to use his advanced skills and knowledge to make critical decisions. The BSN was timely in critical thinking and reasoning that proved the supremacy incompetence and skills.
Reference
America Association of Colleges of Nursing, AACN. (2013). Fact sheet: The impact of education on nursing practice. Retrieved from, <http://www.aacn.nche.edu/media-relations/fact-sheets/nursing-workforce> July 8, 2014